Top spinner and launcher



April 3, 1951 R. F. BOURELLE ET AL TOP SPINNER AND LAUNCHER Filed Feb. 24, 1950 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 TOP SPINNER AND LAUNCHER Roy Francis Bourelle and Beatrice Thresea Widdoes, Creston, Britishcolumbia, Canada- Application February 24, I950,*Serial No. 145,964

4 Claims." (01. 46-72:)

This invention relates to improvements in toys for mechanically spinning and launching tops, and the object of the invention is to manually couple the top to the motor which spins it; mechanically hold the top while being spun, and

then manually 'uncouple the top from the spinner for launching-down an inclined plane.

Broadly considered the device comprises a suitable frame adapted to carry a motor to spin the top, and to rest upon a table or the floor onto which the spinning top is to be launched; a twopart launching means hinged to said frame, and means carried by said frame to support said launching means and to permit displacement thereof to allow the top to be manually coupled to and uncoupled from the motor and launched, as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the toy, showing a top mounted to be spun by the motor before launching.

Figure 2, is a side elevation of the means for manually raising and lowering the launching means, showing the same supported by part of the frame.

Figure 3, is a section on the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4, is a detail showing the means for coupling the top to the motor.

Figure 5, is a side elevation of the launching plate, and Figure 6, is a plan view of part thereof.

Figure '7, is a plan view of part of the launching plane.

In the drawings, like characters of reference refer tothe same parts.

As shown the frame to support the top and the launching means, and the motor, consists of a vertical post 2, suitably fastened to a horizontal base 3. The motor 4, is suitably mounted on the post 2, and the electric circuit therefor is controlled by any suitable switch 5.

By means of the side walls 6, thepost 2, and. base 3, are securely braced together, and supports provided for the means to vertically move the launching plate and the inclined launching plane down which the spinning top slides. The launching plate I, is pivoted by a pin 8, in the walls 6, with its free end overlapping the upper end of the inclined plane 9, which is hinged at its lower end to the outer end of the base 3. The upper end of the plane 9, at times moves between the walls 6, and it is centrally longitudinally provided with a groove or channel II], which is in alignment with the shallow depression II, formed centrally longitudinally in the launching plane 1.

Any suitable means may be used to provide for the raising and lowering of the outerendof the plate 1, and the upper end of the plane ,9. The preferred means for this purpose comprises a crank I2, journalled at I3, in the walls 6, This crank is provided with ,a handle I4, at one end and at the other end witha friction rod I5, which :has close .contactxwith an arcuate, rack-proyided plate It, carried by one of the walls 6. Contact between the rod I5, and the plate I6, will maintain the crank I2, in the desired position. This crank is the support for the upper end of the plane 9, and the outer end of the plate I.

To couple the top H, to the shaft I8, of the motor, the crank I2, is moved in the direction of arrow (Figure 2) thus permitting the overlapping ends of the plate 1 and plane 9, to be lowered by gravity far enough to permit the pin I9, in the socket 30, in the top of the top to be inserted in the slot 20, in the end of the shaft I8. While the top is manually held in this position, the crank I2, is returned to normal position shown in Figure l, to lift up the plate 7, and the plane 9, and thus seat the pin 2|, of the top in the shallow depression I I, formed in the outer end of said plate. The switch 5, is now closed and the motor spins the top. When the crank I2, is moved again in the direction of arrow far enough the overlapping ends of the plate I, and plane 9, will be moved down by the weight of the top until the top is disengaged from the motor. When this occurs the top will slide down the now inclined plate 1, onto the plane 9, which launches it onto the table or the floor. 7

Since the plate I, is normally held in a horizontal position the axis of the top is held in alignment with the axis of the shaft of the motor with the pin 2 I, in the shallow depression I I, and hence there will be no lateral displacement of the top while being mechanically spun.

With a little practice, several tops may be spinning on the table or floor simultaneously. A number of musical tops because of the varying rates of rotation thereof will often produce very pleasing harmonious musical sounds. The shaft of the motor is shown provided with a-pulley 22. This pulley is not essential. But if the toy be placed on its side, a belt (not shown) maybe passed around this pulley to drive various types of toys.

Various changes in construction will at once suggest themselves to one skilled in the art without going outside the scope of this disclosure nor of the claims forming part thereof.

We claim:

1. A mechanical top spinner and launcher comprising a suitable frame; a normally horizontal launching plate hinged at its inner end on said frame; a longitudinally centrally-grooved inclined plane, hinged at its outer end to said frame while its upper end carries the outer end of said plate, the longitudinal groove in said plane lying in alignment with a shallow depression in said plate, and manual means carried by said frame whereby the overlapping, ends of said plate "and plane may be raised and lowered.

2. A mechanical top spinner and launcher comprising a suitable frame; a normally horizontal launching plate hinged at its inner end on said frame; a longitudinally centrally-grooved inclined plane, hinged at its outer end to said frame while its upper end carries the outer end of said plate, the longitudinal groove in said plane lying in alignment with a shallow depression in said plate; a crank journalled in said comprising a suitable frame; a normally horizontal launching plate hinged at its inner end on said frame; a longitudinally centrally-grooved inclined plane, hinged at its outer end to said frame while its upper end carries the outer end of said plate, the longitudinal groove in said plane lying in alignment with a shallow depression in said plate; an electric motor supported by said frame, provided with a slot in the lower end of its shaft; a top; a pin in a socket in the top of said top adapted to be placed in the said slot to couple the top to the motor, and manual means carried by said frame whereby the overlapping ends of said plate and plane may be raised and lowered.

ROY FRANCIS BOURELLE.

BEATRICE THRESEA WIDDOES'.

REFERENSES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,274,295 Logan July 30, 1918 1,880,145 Meylan Sept. 27, 1932 1,890,043 Murphree Dec. 6, 1932 2,209,745 Benjamin July 30, 1940 

